[ 102 } 
remarkable, that thefe men w-ere neither 
troubled with fleas nor lice, during the 
whole time they remained on the ifland, 
though on their return home they were 
again vifited by them. It is a pretty 
general observation, that failors, who 
otherwife are very fubject. to vermin, 
and who, it is faid, for that reafon wear 
flhirts of blue linen, get quite free from 
them on palling the equator ; but no 
fooner do they repafs the line on their 
return, than thofe vermin fwarm among 
them as before. Now thefe two cir- 
cumflances, namely, the crofTing the equi- 
noctial line, and getting beyond the po- 
lar circle, being attended with the fame 
effects, one would naturally imagine, 
that there mnft be fomething in common 
between them ; and it were to be wifhed 
that naturalifls would make that a fubject 
of their inquiry. 
When our four mariners had pafTed 
nearlv fix years in this difmal place, 
Fe odor We r e g i n, whofe illnefs we 
had 
